Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" Jesus says to Peter "You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human ones." Jesus knew that God's plan would mean that he would suffer and die. Peter said "NEVER LORD!...This shall NEVER happen to you" Can't you just see Peter's furrowed brow and resolute body language? I can because I have a strong willed son, who thinks he is always right and even if he is wrong, he is right. He will stand his ground and argue his point. That is kinda how I see Peter. Recorded in just a few verses before, Peter is the one, who when Jesus asked them who he was, Peter replied...“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Peter had seen numerous miracles that had proven to him that Jesus really was the Son of God. In Peter's mind, as well as a lot of the Jews at that time, thought that the Messiah was going to have an earthly kingdom and the thought of Jesus dying really didn't fit the idea that Peter had in his head. It is so easy to judge Peter and say well if that was me "I wouldn't have done what he did." Yet how many times do I have in my own mind the way that God should do things? I think I know better. If I had my way... I wouldn't have people suffer, but God sees that that suffering draws people them closer to Him. For some that suffering leads them to make a decision for salvation. What it must be like to see the big picture. I only see a tiny glimpse and in my arrogance think I know what the big picture should look like. "Dear God, please forgive my pride and stubborness when I try to tell you how things should be done, or how I want them to be done. I know you have a plan, but sometimes it is so hard to have faith in your plan. Please strengthen my faith and help me to trust you more. Thank you for giving me the things that I need instead of giving me just what I want, because you know best. In Jesus' name amen!!"
The Stampin' Sisters in Christ challege is to make a tone on tone card. I stamped flourishes on my card using lime green ink on the lime green panel. I added some handmade flowers to the left side of the card. I hope you have a blessed week. The sponsor this week is Designed to Delight. The prize is $10 to her store. Hope you can play along with the Stampin' Sisters in Christ.
Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.
Love tone on tone art work, and yours is delightful as ever.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your heart - I can identify when you say you have a strong willed son.... I sure did! And I think some of it came from his mother :-(
Blessings
Maxine
Love your handmade flowers - they are bril and very realistic.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter
Wendy xx
Oh MariLynn your words are so spot on and straight to my heart! Thank you! Your card is gorgeous! Love how the ribbon curls around and those gorgeous flowers!!! Hope you are feeling better today!!! Have a wonderful week my friend!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Grace
Wonderful thoughts MariLynn, exactly spot on. We don't know the grand eternal picture, only God does and we need to get out of the way! Thanks for sharing your beautiful artwork as well. Hope the storms don't hit your area.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card! I love the colors and your stitching is amazing! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card Marilynn, that is some fabulous stitching and fabulous colors.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Good morning Marilynn =) First of all, love those pretty tulips in your header!! Mine are almost ready to bloom. I live in High Dessert so not much moisture, but there's half way there! Lol.
ReplyDeleteYour card today is so PRETTY! I love those flowers--you're so creative with homemade flowers! And of course all that stitching adds so much too! Lovely card =)
Wow!This is beautiful!Love the flowers too!
ReplyDeleteChris
Marilynn, I really thought I left a comment here when this posted (yes I was up then!). Must have been my over tired brain just thinking I did! Lovely card. I'm so tickled to see how many ways you use these flowers. They are so pretty and fit in so many projects. Good Job!
ReplyDeleteHello MariLynn - you are spot on with this challenge and the words from the heart Sistah! Thank you! Your handmade flowers are always divine and make your cards pop - what a talented lady you are! Thank you for inspiring my friend - I need to get here more often!! {{{hugs}}}
ReplyDeleteMariLynn, what a gorgeous card you have created here! Those flowers....sigh....love those beautiful flowers! Thanks for those words of thought...really needed that this morning! Hugs and blessings, Sabrina
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